To address the challenges facing waterborne transport between Japan’s remote islands, エイトノット is demonstrating an autonomous navigation platform and conducting trial operations for passenger transport and cargo delivery on remote islands. Following initiatives since its founding and organizational collaboration, the business is moving toward wider adoption and overseas expansion.
Japan, an island nation, has more than 400 inhabited remote islands, but waterborne transport between the islands faces labor shortages and difficulties maintaining services. This prompted エイトノット to develop an autonomous navigation system using robotics and AI. The company was founded in Osaka in March 2021, reportedly driven by 3 factors: business challenges, technology and its team.
The calm sea conditions of the Seto Inland Sea were selected as the base for demonstration tests. With support from a Hiroshima Prefecture program and cooperation from Osakikamijima Island, the company repeatedly tested its autonomous navigation platform. Although the vessel initially failed to move as intended in some situations, the company repeatedly revised the program based on data and formally announced “Eight Knot AI CAPTAIN” in November 2022.
Eight Knot AI CAPTAIN integrates sensor data from LiDAR, cameras, GPS and IMUs to identify its position and obstacles, then navigates automatically to its destination. Its features include station keeping and automatic berthing. Its strengths are said to include the ability to retrofit it to vessels such as the Eight Knot One and the optimization of control parameters using AI.
Going forward, the company plans to pursue collaboration with domestic shipbuilders and direct sales, while also considering overseas expansion into the United States and Southeast Asia. It aims to create a society in which people can move easily by water, as part of its vision for resolving transportation and logistics challenges on remote islands.